By examining viscosity differences, Baeyle Love of Troop 633 analyzes the sticky residue found on an unsigned letter, which promises a special gift. Photo Credit: Dr. Joseph Turner

By examining the chromatograms obtained from the various suspects’ pens, junior Girl Scouts match the ink to an unsigned letter, which promises a special gift. Photo Credit: Miss Lisa Norton.

Using a starch-iodine reaction, Rachel Kleffner and Rachel Bryan of Troop 91 determine if there is a match between the powder samples taken from the various suspects and the dust found near the unsigned letter, which promises a special gift. Photo Credit: Miss Lisa Norton.

Using a baking soda-vinegar reaction, Rachel Crouse of Troop 53 determines if there is a match between the soil samples taken from the various suspects and the dirty shoeprint found near the unsigned letter, which promises a special gift. Photo Credit: Miss Lisa Norton.

MU undergraduate Brad Young discusses the results of the soil analysis that used a baking soda-vinegar reaction. The girls determine if there is a match between the soil samples taken from the various suspects and the dirty shoeprint found near the unsigned letter. Photo Credit: Dr. Joseph Turner

MU undergraduate Jessica Billheimer helps Eliza Ridenhour of Troop 37 determine, by odor and viscosity, which of the sticky substances from the suspects match reside found on an unsigned letter. Photo Credit: Dr. Joseph Turner

Girl Scouts become crime scene investigators in Magic of Chemistry workshop

Nearly 200 girls from the Girl Scouts–Heart of Missouri Council became crime scene investigators on Saturday, November 5th, at the Magic of Chemistry workshop. This program was developed by Professor Sheryl Tucker of the Department of Chemistry to ignite and retain girls’ interest in science.

Girl Scouts from 18 mid-Missouri counties in grades four through six solved the "Case of the Unsigned Letter." As forensic investigators, the girls determined which family member, attending a family reunion accidentally left an anonymous note. Suspects included Aunt Io Dine, Aunt Ruth Enium, Uncle Ben Zene, and Uncle Al D. Hyde.

The Magic of Chemistry is a hands-on, inquiry-based program composed of three rotating workshops -"Case of the Unsigned Letter," "Fun with Polymers," and "Chemistry of Color." To solve the "Case of the Unsigned Letter," the girls conducted experiments to analyze crime scene clues: ink from the note, soil from a footprint, white powder on the desk, and a sticky residue on the paper. Workshop participants receivee a t-shirt, lunch and a uniform badge.

In addition to the Girl Scouts, other participants were 120 program volunteers from MU and the Girl Scouts; Sheryl Tucker, professor of Chemistry and program founder, and Michelle Beckwidth of PTC Labs who demonstrated to the girls how the DNA from the envelope seal can help solve the mystery.

"The program is designed to ignite and retain girls' interest in science at an age when national studies indicate they begin to lose this curiosity," Tucker said. Since its inception, The Magic of Chemistry program has evolved from a lab with 35 participants to a semi-annual, nationally recognized chemistry program that has served 1,900 Girl Scouts from across the state of Missouri.

Program sponsors include the MU Department of Chemistry, MU Research Reactor, MU Local Section of the American Chemical Society, PTC Laboratories, MU Office of Admissions, MU Campus Dining Services, MU Department of Physics, Pfizer, Fisher Scientific, and T's Etc.

Links:

Magic of Chemistry program
Tucker Group
Chemistry Department

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